Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has directed security agencies to arrest a member of the House of Representatives representing Port Harcourt Federal Constituency 2, Dr Chinyere Igwe.
Why did this happen: Igwe, who is believed to be loyal to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, is the owner of the Mega Tool Filling Station located in Ojoto Street, Mile 2, in the Diobu axis of Port Harcourt.
The filling station is among the properties that were put under lock and key last week by security agencies on the order of the governor.
Oil bunkering allegation: Wike has now accused Igwe and his filling station of involvement in illegal oil bunkering and vowed to prosecute the Honourable.
He made this known at the flag-off of the construction of internal roads in Omagwa, Ikwerre Local Government Area of the state, on Saturday, August 20, 2022.
Wike was quoted in a statement by his media aide, Kelvin Ebiri, to have said that a filling station was sealed two days ago and he has ordered the security agencies to identify the owner and arrest him for prosecution.
Wike's statement in part: “If I hear of any filling station involved in oil bunkering, I will close that filling station. Therefore, I have directed the security agencies to identify who has that filling station in Diobu, arrest that person and we are going to prosecute the person.
“It doesn’t matter how highly placed that person is. Some of you should be used to teach a lesson.
“We cannot allow oil bunkering. We will reduce it to the barest minimum. So, I have ordered the security agencies to identify who owns that filling station that was sealed up two days ago and arrest the owner.
“Let him tell us why he is involved in oil bunkering.”
Wike out for revenge: The Governor also added that all those who have benefitted from his administration in the past but have now switched to his enemies' camp should be ready to face the consequences of their action.
Wike said, “If anybody fights our system, we will fight the person back. The moment you claim to be working with us and tomorrow, you shift to our enemy, we will take every might we have, we will even leave our enemies and finish you first.”
Igwe responds: Meanwhile, the accused Honourable has reacted to the allegation against him by the Governor, describing his action as a political persecution.
Igwe said, “It is political. We are allies of Austin Opara. And he (Wike) has said that he will fight everybody who is meeting with Atiku, and he has started manifesting it.
“We are all PDP. So, I don’t understand why we will become beneficiaries of this kind of humiliation and frustration. It is unfortunate.
“Wike should add it (the fuel station) to the personal properties that he has acquired in Rivers State. He has acquired every part of Rivers State, he should add what he has sealed to his personal property, and let’s see whether he will be contented as a man.”
